Category Archives: Burlesque

RIP Gayety Theatre’s John H. “Bud” Nickel, Jr. (1971)

Rites Set For J. H. Nickel, Former Operator Of Gayety (The Baltimore Sun, 4/8/1971) Funeral services for John H. Nickel, Jr., who with his sister owned and operated one of the city’s landmarks, the Gayety Theater and Nightclub on The Block, … Continue reading

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John Waters’s Favorite Stripper: Lady Zorro

The Butch Local Girl Who Looked Like Victor Mature By Burlesque Babes (burlesquebabes.wordpress.com, 2/26/2015) Her real name was Sheila Alberta Bowater. Get by with a little help from my friends… A reader kindly posted a helpful comment to my original … Continue reading

Posted in "The Block", Baltimore Babylon, Baltimorons, Burlesque, Dreamlanders, John Waters, Nightlife, Roadside Attractions, Sex | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Burlesque-Era “Miami Club” Menu from Baltimore’s “Block” (1950s)

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Baltimore’s Block Burly Performers Not “Strip-Teasers” but “Beauty-Flashers” (1942)

Not Strip But Flashers (The Billboard, 6/27/1942) Feminine burly performers are not “strip-teasers” but “beauty-flashers,” according to Gus Flaig, veteran stage manager for the Gayety, only exclusively burlesque house in Baltimore. According to Flaig, the backbone of burlesque is not … Continue reading

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